Politicos address rallies, gatherings on last Sunday before Delhi polls

From addressing rallies and gatherings to holding roadshows, leaders of political parties made the best use of Sunday (February 2), the last before the February 8 Delhi assembly polls, to garner support for their candidates.

The BJP conducted a mega contact programme, with its top leaders, including party chief J P Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, visiting all 70 assembly constituencies in the national capital.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal addressed public meetings in Vishwas Nagar, Laxmi Nagar and Rithala, and undertook roadshows in Kirari and Mundka.

After campaign hours ended, BJP leaders visited the party’s 85 election offices to review preparations for the polls and to boost the morale of BJP workers.

Shah and Nadda in their speeches attacked the AAP and the Congress over the Shaheen Bagh anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests.

Defence Minister Singh in election meetings in the Delhi Cantt and Karol Bagh assembly constituencies asserted that the BJP believed in positive politics and accused the AAP and the Congress of practising politics of “appeasement and polarisation”.

Union minister Smriti Irani campaigned extensively in Rohini, Mehrauli, R K Puram, and Kasturba Nagar. She said that it was a “tragedy” that Chief Minister Kejriwal who joined politics to bring a change was “supporting” anti-national elements.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also targeted his Delhi counterpart Kejriwal over the protests at Shaheen Bagh.

The BJP leaders were also joined by their party’s allies in campaigning.

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Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar attacked Kejriwal, saying some people are more interested in publicity than work.

Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan campaigned in Sangam Vihar.

The BJP is contesting the assembly polls in Delhi in alliance with the JD(U) and the Lok Janshakti Party.

The Congress released its manifesto for the assembly polls on Sunday.

It promised to give unemployment allowance of ₹5,000-7,500 per month, implement cashback schemes for water and power consumers, and challenge the contentious CAA in the Supreme Court if voted to power in Delhi.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also campaigned for his party candidate in Palam seat.